On February 7, 2007, the
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
received
an update
on an initiative to foster environmentally friendly or “green” building approaches and actions that could be taken to better support the sustainability goals in the Comprehensive Plan. Last December, the County Planning Commission passed a resolution of intent encouraging the Board to consider amending the Comprehensive Plan to improve the community’s commitment to green building and sustainability.
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The update from staff touched on: public education efforts on the benefits of green building; opportunities to work with the local development community to promote green building; work within the County’s own operations to improve energy efficiency; and the goal of amending the Comprehensive Plan to support this green building and sustainability.
The Supervisors reached consensus that future County buildings should, pending review of budgetary impacts, be green buildings and pursue a LEED certification.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and represents the efforts of a coalition including the US Green Building Council to establish a nationwide standard for constructing “green” buildings. The new library in Crozet is expected to be the next County building designed with this approach.
County Executive Bob Tucker
told the Board that staff would move forward with their feedback and support. He noted:
“We’ve heard for the first time… a consensus among all of you that you are ready to move forward… on our buildings… and provide green building initiatives and follow the LEED certification. That’s something we haven’t heard from the full board. We’ve heard it anecdotally and from some members, but now I am hearing it from all of you.”
Brian Wheeler
